All of the Dodgers Nicknames for Players Weekend Explained

Players only.

The inaugural MLB Player's Weekend is upon us, as players on all 30 teams will wear colorful, non-traditional uniforms and hats featuring nicknames on the back and specialty player patches.

The MLB has also allowed custom equipment for the weekend of Aug. 25-27 such as cleats, bats, wristbands and more.

A few weeks ago we revealed what the Los Angeles Dodgers uniforms and nicknames would be, but on Friday NBC LA finally had the opportunity to speak to the players directly and ask for some backstory on the names written on their back. 

Courtesy of Ken Gurnick of MLB.com as well as our own personal interviews, here are the stories of the nicknames. 

Chris Taylor
Nickname: "CT3"
Taylor chose the nickname given to him by fans this season because it's his initials, plus his jersey number. Fans in Los Angeles have come to known the moniker, "CP3" for Chris Paul in recent years, but with the All-Star point guard headed to Houston this season, it's now a "CT3" town.
Patch: Mom and Dad. "They were always there for me. They were my role models growing up and I wouldn't be here if it weren't for them."

Corey Seager
Nickname: "Seager"
Seager chose his own last name as his nickname because he said, "I couldn't think of anything else." Fans were a little disappointed with the lack of creativity as "Seags," "Clutch," "Smooth," and even "ROY" all would have been great. In any event, his older brother Kyle who plays for the Mariners got the best of the nicknames over the weekend with, "Corey's Brother."
Patch: Mom and Dad. "Without them, none of this would be possible."

Justin Turner
Nickname: "RedTurn2"
Justin combined the nickname "Red," with his number when he used to play second base for the New York Mets. It's also a phrase for middle infielders, "Turn 2," not to mention his social media handle.
Patch: Grandpa Bates. "He never missed a game. He'd take me on vacation to the lake, but he'd make me catch 50 balls before we ate dinner." 

Curtis Granderson
Nickname: "Grandy Man"
The newest Dodger's nickname has followed him around for most of his career with the Tigers, Yankees and Mets. As the saying goes, "Who can? The Grandy Man can!"
Patch: Grand Kids Foundation. A charity foundation started by Granderson in 2007 that strives to aid positive youth development via education, physical fitness and nutrition. 

Yasmani Grandal
Nickname: "YRG Jr."
We're not sure why Yasmani opted for the initials of his soon-to-be-born son that is expected to be born sometime in November over his traditional nickname of "Yaz" or the "Yasmanian Devil."
Patch: Mom, Dad and Grandparents. "I grew up with my parents and grandparents and wanted to honor all of them." 

Yasiel Puig
Nickname: "Wild Horse"
Puig was given the nickname "Wild Horse," by Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully during the 2013 season when he proclaimed, "The Wild Horse is loose," during a triple by the Cuban slugger. Puig has since embraced the name and started a foundation, "The Wild Horse Foundation," in 2016.
Patch: Mom and Dad. "I love them and owe them for everything they have done for me." 

Chase Utley
Nickname: "Silver Fox"
Chase told reporters before the game on Friday that he asked Corey Seager to choose his nickname for him, but in reality, the 38-year-old second baseman has been called the "Silver Fox" for the past two seasons by fans and the media alike.
Patch: Mom and Dad. "They always supported whatever I wanted to do and baseball was what I wanted. They bent over backwards to make it happen." 

Austin Barnes
Nickname: "Sam"
The origin story of "Sam" is actually quite funny. During Spring Training in 2016, some of the veterans sent Barnes, a rookie, on a taco run. When he got back, A.J. Ellis joked that he didn't even know his name, so Utley said, "It's Sam." In reality, most of his teammates call him "Barnsey."
Patch: Mom and Dad. "For their total support." 

Ross Stripling
Nickname: "Chicken Strip"
Ross has a lot of nicknames, but essentially anything with "Strip," in it will suffice. To fans, Ross is known as "Rowdy Ross," "Ross the Boss," and told NBC LA before the season, he prefers "Stripper." MLB wanted to make sure the nicknames for Players Weeekend were appropriate, so Ross chose "Chicken Strip," because he thought it would be funny.
Patch: Mom and Dad. "When I had Tommy John surgery and I decided to quit baseball, my dad said  'don't give up.' He and my mom have supported me in every way, including financially." 

Logan Forsythe
Nickname: "Logie Bear"
Logan's nickname was made famous when Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria famously said goodbye to his former teammate by calling him "Logi Bear," on social media. However, Forysthe said the nickname came from his wife when they started dating and that his teammates in Tampa took off with it.
Patch: Mom and Dad. "I wouldn't be here without them. I'm starting to experience that now having our first child and seeing the time and effort that goes into raising a child, the selflessness, you appreciate what they went through a little more."

Luis Avilan
Nickname: "Avi"
Avilan is one of the rare players who actually used his actual nickname. His teammates have been calling him "Avi," short for Avilan for years.
Patch: Mama and Papa. "They've always supported me and were at the ballpark for every game."

Pedro Baez
Nickname: "La Mula"
Spanish for "The Mule," Baez says he was given the nickname for his tireless work ethic.
Patch: Freddy Pimente. "He was my first Little League coach." 

Cody Bellinger
Nickname: "CodyLove"
Bellinger is one of the few players unable to play during Players Weekend as he is currently on the 10-day disabled list with a sprained ankle. Most of his teammates call him "Belli," but during Spring Training in 2016, the team came up with the hashtag #CodyLove as a nod to teammate Joc Pederson's #JocLove as a way to get him more followers.
Patch: Mom and Dad. "Because they supported me through club-ball days and travel-ball days." 

Tony Cingrani
Nickname: "Grani"
Short for his last name.
Patch: Anthony Cingrani Jr. "That's in tribute to my dad." 

Yu Darvish
Nickname: "Yu-San"
Darvish says the addition of "San" to his name which is used in Japan as a more formal way of addressing someone has been his nickname since he was a pitcher in Japan.
Patch: His Japanese Little League team. 

Josh Fields
Nickname: "Fields"
Last name.
Patch: Mom and Dad. 

Adrian Gonzalez
Nickname: "El Titan"
Gonzalez was first given the nickname "El Titan," also his social media handle when a Spanish broadcaster called him "El Titan," during his early playing days with the Padres because his high school mascot was the Titans.
Patch: Mom and Dad. "Of course, my parents, to get to the big leagues, they did everything for me. My parents first growing up and once I got to the Minor Leagues, the support of them, and, of course my wife."

Enrique Hernandez
Nickname: "Kiké"
More than just a nickname, "Kiké," short for Enrique is what Hernandez has been called his whole life.
Patch: Papi. "All of my baseball I get from him. My life has been nothing but baseball, and he's been right by my side. During the World Baseball Classic, he missed almost a month of work to be with me."

Rich Hill
Nickname: "Brice"
Brice is the name of Hill's five-year old son, but when asked by NBC LA during Spring Training, Hill said his teammates call him "Ricardo," especially the Latin ones.
Patch: My family. "I just wanted to thank everybody. Picking just one relative who helped me is too difficult."

Kenley Jansen
Nickname: "Kenleyfornia"
Kenley changed his nickname after a fan sent him a custom made flag of California that instead read, "Kenleyfornia." The Dodgers' closer now hangs the flag above his locker and chose the nickname as a tribute to the fans. They would also have loved "California Love," Jansen's entrance music as well.
Patch: Mom and Dad. "They went to all of my international tournaments to see me play, never missed a game."

Clayton Kershaw
Nickname: "Kersh"
Kershaw's nickname really is "Kersh," short of his last name, but "MVP" or "Cy Young," would have also been appropriate. Unfortunately Kershaw missed the Players Weekend as he was in Oklahoma City on a rehab assignment with the team's Triple-A affiliate.
Patch: Kershaw's Challenge. "Doing the foundation to bring more awareness." 

Kenta Maeda
Nickname: "Maeken"
According to Maeda himself, "Maeken" is the same as his initials in Japan. So instead of "KM," they say "Maeken."
Patch: Family. "My family has made sacrifices so I can play in the Major Leagues."

Brandon McCarthy
Nickname: "B-Mac"
The first letter of his first name combined with the "Mac" of his last name has been McCarthy's nickname for many years.
Patch: Mom and Dad. 

Brandon Morrow
Nickname: "B-Mo"
Similar to B-Mac's aforementioned nickname, teammates have been calling Morrow "B-Mo" since college.
Patch: Mom and Dad. "It's obvious. Going on travel trips and playing catch every day after work, coaching Little League teams. When my dad couldn't make it because of work, my mom would go on trips with a bunch of teenage ballplayers."

Josh Ravin
Nickname: "El Cuervo"
"El Cuervo" means the raven in Spanish. Pretty simple.
Patch: Mom and Dad. "My dad from the get-go was always telling me how good I would be and I would tell him he didn't know what he was talking about. To see it be a reality, did he really know? For many reasons, I wouldn't be here without my mom and dad."

Hyun-Jin Ryu
Nickname: "Monster"
After his rookie season, Ryu says fans started calling him "the Monster," and the name stuck with him.
Patch: Mom and Dad. "I wanted to show respect to them for everything they've done for me, not just in baseball."

Tony Watson
Nickname: "Watty"
Watson joked that his nickname is so stereotypical it should not even be addressed. Like most nicknames, it's an abbreviation of his last name and he's had it most of his career.
Patch: Coach Peyton and Dave Hekter. "Dave Hekter was my Little League coach and a high school teacher and played a big part in the player I am. And coach Byron Peyton is a (Dallas Center-Grimes) high school coach that was doing the behind-the-scenes stuff to get me in the University of Nebraska and kick-started my career." 

Alex Wood
Nickname: "Woodman"
Wood has been called "Woodman" or "Woody" for most of his career.
Patch: Mom and Dad. "For their undying support, for always putting me in position to succeed and creating that kind of atmosphere for me."